


Sympathy for the Devil

by GirlsAmirite



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood and Violence, Canonical Character Death, Drama, Dubious Morality, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Romance, Semi Slow Burn, eve: i hate villanelle, literally everyone: sure jan, vampire hunter!eve, vampire!villanelle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-05-14 08:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19269079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlsAmirite/pseuds/GirlsAmirite
Summary: "She's a vampire."She blinks at Carolyn, who is looking back at her with a small, smug smile on her lips. Eve lets the words wash over her and sink low into her core, where they settle uneasily within her."Piss off," Eve laughs nervously.Carolyn is not a joking woman, though. And the more time that passes between them the more Eve realizes Carolyn had said those words and meant them.Or the vampire/vampire hunter AU the fandom needed.





	1. The V Word

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic begins after 1x03.
> 
> For my girlfriend, even though she prefers werewolves.

_An ocean of blood pools around Eve. She crawls backward to get away from it, desperately kicking away at the floor. Her legs scrape unpleasantly against the cold, rough cement. Her white sneakers quickly become stained with red. Distantly, she wonders if she has any bleach at home to remedy it._

_The blood seems inescapable. The river of red follows her without relent and without mercy. She's backed up against the wall when she realizes the blood is coming from her own body._

_She feels herself start to choke as an awful, metallic taste fills her mouth. She grabs at her neck, where blood seeps through her fingers. Eve tries to scream but nothing but a low gurgle leaves her mouth._

_Tears start to burn trails down her cheeks._

_Suddenly, a tall figure appears in front of her. A dark silhouette that Eve can't make out. The figure runs towards her with urgency and intent._

_This is it, Eve thinks. This is how I die._

 

 

Eve shoots up in bed, heart pounding. The sun bleeds through the curtains and floods into her dark bedroom. It wasn't real, Eve realizes with crushing relief.

Still, she runs a haste hand over her neck, searching for a wound, blood, or anything equally as alarming. She finds the skin under her fingertips is smooth and unscathed. Sweat trickles down her back as her chest heaves. God, she hasn't had a nightmare in ages.

She looks over to her alarm clock.

"4 PM?" 

Her nap took longer than she had expected. Way longer. She's sure she set an alarm for 2 PM but she must have slept through it. Her sleep schedule has been skewed lately. 

Niko is still at work which she's grateful for. She's spent the last few days tiptoeing around him and the inevitable confrontation about Bill's death. She can't talk about it, technically. They'd been given a coverup story and they were to stick to it. In truth, even if she were able to talk about it, Eve wouldn't want to. Especially not to Niko, who can understand higher level mathematics but not his own wife.

Eve sighs, pulling herself out of bed and flinging on clothes she'd left out for herself the night before. Carolyn wanted to talk today. Eve hopes she isn't getting fired, this job is the only thing she has left. This woman is the only thing she has left. Eve has to catch her, she just has to. Or his death was for nothing. Or his daughter is going to grow up without a father _for nothing_. His killer couldn't get away with it. She couldn't. Eve wouldn't let her.

She looks in the mirror. She reaches up and runs her fingers through her coarse hair. She begins to pry it up into a bun.

_Wear it down._

Eve pauses. The hospital bathroom feels like both forever ago and yesterday. Eve's committed the whole encounter to memory. Every detail of the woman's face, every word that was spoken between them, every step she took...Eve replays it in her mind constantly. Restlessly. 

She longs to see that face in person again. She wants to kill her; watch her bleed and stumble to the ground. Hold her close as her body goes limp. Watch the woman she's been fervently chasing smile up at her in shock and admiration as her life drains from her.

Eve removes her hands and lets her hair fall loose around her shoulders. She tosses the scrunchy to the side and walks out the door without a second glance.

She shields her eyes from the bright afternoon sun as she makes her way down the pavement. She plans on catching the bus to avoid the crowds. She hates crowds. She has ever since she was little. Back then, it was more about the fear of getting lost. As an adult, it is more about the hassle of it all. The time it wastes. Eve Polastri doesn't waste time. 

"Out of my way, lady!"

A man in a white suit shoves himself forcefully past her, causing her to stumble backward. She flails her arms for balance but trips over her own feet, causing her to crash to the ground. 

Her hands fly back to catch herself where they rake against the jagged concrete. Eve groans as she looks at her palms that are now covered in angry red scratches. 

She looks up in shock, expecting an apology, but the man continues past without a word. He looks back momentarily with a small smirk on his face before returning his attention ahead of him.

Eve glares at his back as she gets up. She brushes off her coat and continues on her way. _Asshole._

 

 

It takes longer than she would have liked, but eventually, Eve makes it to the office. 

She walks in hesitantly. There, Carolyn stands with her back to her. She seems to be examining the murder board, as Eve likes to call it. Pictures were scattered across it, strung together tightly with red twine, all leading to the woman she's hunting and the organization behind her. Eve looks at that board more than she looks at Niko nowadays. 

Carolyn doesn't turn to look as Eve enters, not even after she closes the door behind her.

Eve clears her throat after a moment.

"Ah, Eve. Please, have a seat," Carolyn says in surprise, turning around and taking a sip of what Eve guesses is tea.

Eve drags a rolly chair out from under a nearby desk and sits in it, hands folded politely in her lap. 

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Eve says, offering a tight-lipped smile.

"Straight to business. I like that about you," Carolyn laughs lightly. "I want your description of our assassin."

"Oh, I already gave my witness report. I had a sketch done and-"

"Yes, yes. I know. I mean I want your description of her skills. Your professional evaluation of her from what you know about her kills and such," Carolyn says, waving her hands in front of her face dismissively. 

 _Oh_.

This, Eve could do. Its all she thinks about if she's being honest with herself. This woman takes up so much of her brain she's forgotten what the hell she used to think about before her.

"She's clean and efficient in a way I've never seen before," Eve begins, a quiet smile slipping onto her face. "Incredibly clever and intelligent. Her efficiency is only rivaled with her need for attention. She's fast and strong and-"

"How fast? How strong?" Carolyn interjects.

"Insanely. They must have trained her brutally. She killed four people in the time it took me to use the loo," Eve shakes her head, looking into the distance. 

"You could say she's above normal human ability," Carolyn offers, taking a long drink of her tea.

Eve comes back to Earth, returning her gaze to Carolyn.

"Sure," Eve says, knitting her eyebrows together. Where is Carolyn going with this? Why has she really been called in? Surely not just to talk about Eve's personal evaluations; she knew Carolyn hasn't got much interest in that, really. Is Carolyn testing her? To see if she isn't suitable for work anymore?

"Why did you really call me in, Carolyn? I'm fine to be working, really. I-"

"Eve, I want to promote you," Carolyn interrupts. 

Eve leans back in her chair, taken back.

"Promote me?" Eve stammers.

"Not so much a promotion of status but a promotion of knowledge."

Eve sits up straighter. 

"What knowledge?"

"Eve, you must take this well. I really insist that you swallow and digest this information quickly so that we can move on to more important matters," Carolyn says, setting down her mug.

Eve nods quickly, anticipation pounding in her veins. What information could be so vital that it couldn't wait two days till Monday? 

"She's a vampire."

She blinks at Carolyn, who is looking back at her with a small, smug smile on her lips. Eve lets the words wash over her and sink low into her core, where they settle uneasily within her.

"Piss off," Eve laughs nervously. 

Carolyn is not a joking woman, though. And the more time that passes between them the more Eve realizes Carolyn had said those words and meant them.

"She's...a vampire," Eve says slowly, eyebrows raised so high they could touch the ceiling.

"Indeed," Carolyn replies calmly. 

"Like a blood-sucking, garlic-hating, vampire?"

"Yes, exciting isn't it? Though, the garlic thing is more of a myth."

Eve grimaces. She can't believe the conversation she is having. If Bill could see her now, he would laugh and call her a nutter for even considering the thought. 

"Vampires aren't real," Eve scoffs. "People would know if vampires were real. I mean, come on, Carolyn. This woman may be unusually talented but a vampire? I don't- it isn't possible."

"They are as real as you and me, Eve. I've taken down my fair share of them. I know this is a lot to process but it is the truth."

Eve stares at her, unblinking. This is absurd. It goes against every ounce of logical thinking she has ever come to know. Vampires are the stuff of horror movies and young adults novels, and to assume otherwise would make you either a crackhead or a teenage girl. 

Four people killed in under two minutes was fast, though. Too fast. And Carolyn wasn't a crackhead. A little unorthodox at times, sure. But not delusional.

Eve's hands begin to tremble. She realizes she actually believes it, despite everything.

This woman she has been hunting isn't human at all. 

"Oh my god," Eve breathes. She jumps out of her seat and paces the small room. The walls seemed to be all closing in around her. The air suddenly became stagnant and thick.

"Eve, please sit down."

"Sit down? You're telling me this assassin we've been hunting is an unstoppable killing machine who has already killed one of us!"

"Vampires are not unstoppable."

She stops, waiting for further elaboration. Carolyn's lips remain in their tight line, though. Annoyance bubbles up in Eve.

"Does Kenny or Elena know?" Eve returns to her pacing.

"No, it's only you."

"Why?"

"As I said, you have potential. There are few that are capable of finding and disposing of vampires and I think with proper advisement, you could be one of them."

Eve can't believe what she's hearing. MI5 paper pusher one day and a vampire hunter the next? Had she hit her head without knowing it? Is she still dreaming?

"You want me to kill her?" Eve asks in disbelief.  

Carolyn says nothing, but the silence speaks volumes. 

Eve stops. Killing her is something she thinks about often. She never previously thought of herself as the vengeful type, but after watching her best friend die horribly alone in a sea full of people, she doesn't want anything more. She wants to watch the blood drain from her as it had in Bill. 

It all overwhelms Eve at once. She has to go. She can't breathe in here.

"Wow." It's all Eve can manage to say. Her legs wobble as she makes her way slowly towards the door.

"Eve, where are you going?"

She doesn't respond. She only walks. She walks out the door, down the stairs, and into the streets of London. She walks in a haze to an unknown destination.

She feels as though she is in some bizarre, never-ending fever dream. The whole time she waits for a call from Elena laughing about how gullible Eve was. The call never comes.

 

 

As evening begins to fall, she finally makes it back to her front porch.

She finds her suitcase, the one she had lost in Berlin, lying by the front door.

Someone must have found and returned it.

She sighs, picking it up. She's surprised by how heavy it still is. She had assumed the clothing inside would have been stolen. 

She walks in through the door. The lights are all still off and the house is emptily silent. Niko is still at work. She slowly makes her way up the stairs and into her bedroom. She throws her suitcase on the bed and crawls in after it.

She wastes no time to unzip and flip it open. 

Eve squints at the contents. These were definitely not her clothes.

She picks through them, tossing them aside one by one. Is this her bag?

She checks the address. It's hers without a doubt. She even spots the old, heart-shaped coffee stain on the side.

Eve shakes her head in confusion.

There's a box inside too. Eve picks it up. It looks expensive. Very expensive.

She opens it's lid hesitantly.

In it, is a perfume bottle _._ French _._

_La Villanelle._

Next to it, Eve notices, is a card. She picks it up.

The words cause her stomach to drop.

_'Sorry Baby x'_

Eve drops the card and scurries away from it. Her heart thumps loudly in her chest as she gapes at the suitcase. She knows, with agonizing certainty, _exactly_ who returned her suitcase.

 _She knows where I live_ , Eve thinks with dread.

"Eve? I'm home," Niko calls from somewhere downstairs. She almost jumps three feet in the air at his voice. She hadn't heard him come through the door. _Christ._

"O- okay, I'll be down in a minute," Eve calls back, trying to control her shaking voice.

Eve fumbles in her pockets for her phone. She dials Carolyn with trembling fingers.

It rings only twice.   

_"Eve, it's so nice to hear from you again."_

"She knows where I live. She stole my suitcase back in Berlin and returned it back to my house. I- I don't know what to do."

There's silence for a moment.

_"Maybe you should come over. Have some tea and such."_

"Okay," Eve tries to steady her breathing.

" _Wonderful. Oh and bring the suitcase will you?"_

 _"_ Okay," Eve repeats.

_"Splendid. We have much to discuss, Eve. See you soon."_

There's a small 'click' over the line.

"Okay," She says to the open air.

Eve puts down her phone.

What the hell is she going to tell Niko?

 

* * *

 

A full moon hangs overhead. It sits peacefully in between two mountains of clouds.

The knife gleams brightly in the moonlight, even the blood dripping down it seems to have a soft glow.  _Beautiful._

Villanelle brings the knife up to her mouth and slowly licks the blood off of it. 

The blood tastes absolutely _vile_. She spits it out and onto the fresh corpse at her feet.

"Your blood is disgusting," She tells the lifeless body. 

She shudders before stepping over him, tossing the knife to the side. She admires the red blotches on his expensive white suit, how it spread like ink in water. 

She gives one last look before shoving her hands into the pockets of her bomber jacket and walking away.

She grins as she strolls unhurriedly down the dark alley toward the main road.

_Serves him right for being so, so rude to Eve._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter!
> 
> Please tell me if you guys would be interested in more!


	2. A Hard Day's Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the support on the first chapter! I'm so glad you guys are as enthusiastic about vampire Villanelle as I am! 
> 
> NOTE: Villanelle wasn't forced to work with a team after killing Bill in this fic because, well, it is inconvenient for me and where I wanna take this so there you have it don't @ me. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter :)!

The dark blue sky slowly fades to black as she walks. The clouds seem to have gravitated away from each other, allowing a few stars to shine dully through. The streets are weighed down with an unusual heavy silence, the only noise coming from the rare passing of a car and her own trainers hitting the pavement. 

Eve carries her suitcase, that is safely contained in a garbage bag, in both arms. She hugs it close to her chest. She had spun some tale to Niko about returning a few of Bill's belongings to his family. Belongings that had somehow found its way into her suitcase. She's sure he didn't believe it, really, but it got her out the door without a confrontation nonetheless.                                 

She makes it to Carolyn's front door in record time. She rings Carolyn's doorbell with her elbow.

The door opens after a moment, light from the interior floods into the darkness of the outside. Carolyn appears in the doorway, scrunching her face in confusion before relaxing her features into a small, tight smile. 

"Ah, Eve. Do come in," She greets, moving to the side, allowing space for Eve to squeeze past.

Eve shuffles in awkwardly past her. It's only now that she realizes she's never actually been in Carolyn's house before. The inside is warmly lit and well furnished. Inviting. This is a surprise for Eve. Of all the things Carolyn is, warm isn't one she would use to describe her. 

"This way," Carolyn says, leading her to the left of the entrance. She slowly follows behind.

A small, beautiful chandelier hangs over the room they enter. It appears to be a dining room of sorts. The table in the center is lengthy, awkwardly so. It takes up the majority of the room. Twelve white chairs sit neatly along the edges.

Eve stops in her tracks.

There, at the far end of the table, sits Kenny. He has his face turned down into a bag of crisps, digging a handful out and shoving them into his mouth. When he returns his attention in front of him he looks like a deer caught in headlights, crumbs tumbling down his chin.

Her eyebrows knit together. _What is Kenny doing here?_

"Kenny, I thought you had work to do?" Carolyn asks, looking almost as surprised as Eve. 

"I wanted a snack," Kenny shrugs, slowly bringing another chip to his mouth.

"Uh, will someone please tell me what's happening? Why is Kenny here?" Eve sputters, gesturing towards him.

"Why is Eve here?" Kenny asks, squinting.

Carolyn sighs and suddenly turns towards her.

"Kenny is my son. Now, we don't have time for you to react to that so don't feel that you have to."

Eve's eyes are wide as she looks between the two repeatedly. She doesn't see the resemblance but it oddly makes sense. She's almost angry she couldn't figure it out on her own. 

She shakes her head and walks further into the room.

"Just you two live here?" Eve asks, setting the suitcase onto the shiny, clean surface of the dining table.

"That's right. It's just been Kenny and me for quite a while," Carolyn responds.

"Why such a big table? If it's just you two here it seems a bit...over the top," Eve laughs. 

Carolyn doesn't laugh. She looks behind her at the long, wooden surface. 

"Is it? We have friends over quite often so I thought it necessary. It didn't occur to me that it was over the top. I-"

"It's fine. The table, I mean. I was just making a joke," Eve interrupts quickly. She wasn't joking, really. But she wants to get to the important conversation at hand. The conversation about how a psychopathic, vampire assassin knows where she lives. The thought shoots both fear and, shamefully, excitement down her spine.

Carolyn nods with a hum.

"Yes, well, let's get started then. Kenny, I'm going to need you to have this suitcase and its contents ran for prints," Carolyn says, grabbing the suitcase and quickly making her way to Kenny. "Do put a hurry on forensics."

"Oh, okay," Kenny looks startled as he takes the suitcase into his arms.   

Carolyn stares at him as he sits motionless at the table, suitcase settled uncomfortably in his lap.

"Can I eat my crisps first?" 

"Take them with you," Carolyn tells him, motioning him to get up.

He doesn't say anything else as he gets up and walks towards the room's exit. He gives Eve a quick glance before walking past her. She feels sorry for him. Eve could hardly picture Carolyn as a mother at all, let alone an easy one to live with. 

Carolyn takes a seat where Kenny had been moments ago.

"Come. Have a seat."

Eve shuffles over to a nearby chair and sits in it, eyeing Carolyn. 

"So, vampires huh?" Eve prompts. 

"Indeed. It isn't good that-  what are we calling her now?" Carolyn interrupts herself.

"Villanelle."

The name fits so perfect inside Eve's mouth. She wants to say it over and over again until it doesn't even sound like a word. It's stupid, really, to assume that the name of the perfume is the name of her assassin, but Eve just has _a feeling._ She just knows. 

"Villanelle, right. Well, it isn't good she knows where you live."

"I'm safe though, right? Don't vampires have to be invited into homes or something?" She asks. She thinks she remembers hearing that somewhere, though the details are vague. 

Carolyn outwardly cringes at the comment and closes her eyes.

"Eve, I'm going to need you to forget everything you _think_ you know about vampires because odds are they are horribly inaccurate."

Eve nods silently, defeated. 

"Now, vampires, above all else, are skilled hunters," Carolyn begins, sitting back in her seat. "They heal quicker than us. They are faster than us with better stamina. They are stronger than us, too."

"Great, so I'm screwed?" Eve interjects. She imagines getting ripped apart by Villanelle, her limbs tearing away like paper. It would have to be a closed casket funeral, she supposes.

"I didn't say that. Vampires also have their weaknesses. Without nourishment, they rapidly become frail and lethargic."

"So, what? We lock her in a cage and starve her?"

"Well, that's a very ineffective way to go about it. It would take ages," Carolyn shrugs, looking off into the distance.

Silence falls upon them as Carolyn stares off into space. Eve stares at her in disbelief.

"So, what do we do?" Eve says, trying to get Carolyn's attention.

She snaps out of it seemingly, returning her attention back to Eve.

"The only way to kill a vampire effectively is with silver. Bullet, knife, doesn't matter, really. Its the only material, that we know of, that causes lasting bodily harm to them. You can injure them with traditional methods but they heal from them rapidly. "

"Silver? Isn't that more of a werewolf thing?" Eve suppresses an eye-roll at her own comment. She still can't believe she's having these conversations unironically. 

"Werewolves aren't real. Vampires, on the other hand, very much are."

"My mistake," Eve scoffs, pinching the bridge of her nose. Carolyn looks at her inquisitively.

"Now, do you want a safe house?" 

A safe house hadn't even occurred to Eve. The thought of hiding made her gut turn. She doesn't want to hide, she wants to chase.

"No, I'll be fine in my own home."

Carolyn hums.

"And you're quite sure this isn't just to impress Villanelle? Make her think you are tough so to speak?" Carolyn suggests.

Eve gapes at Carolyn. Anger boils in her, ready to bubble over.

"I am not trying to _impress_ Bill's killer," She says, but she finds she has to force the venom into her voice.

 "No need to get so defensive, Eve. It was merely a question."

Eve shrinks in her seat.

"I insist you at least take a weapon home with you. Wait here," Carolyn says, getting up and walking out of the room. Eve watches her turn down a hallway and then disappear from view.

Eve sits in silence, playing absently with her wedding ring. She thinks of Niko who is sitting at home and probably watching some home improvement show while sipping tea. Completely content. He doesn't know there's an assassin lurking around London while he busies himself with house chores, of course. An assassin with a bloodlust that's a need as much as it is a want. 

"Eve?"

She looks up to see Carolyn, holding a small case.

"Sorry, I was miles away. Is that it?"

"Yes," Carolyn returns to her seat and carefully unlatches the leather case. She turns it to be in Eve's view.

Eve's mouth opens slightly as she gawks at the knife. 

"Cool," Eve breathes, gently picking up the weapon. She removes its protective cover to reveal the glossy metal. She turns it over in her hands.

The blade shines a beautiful silver. It has an enchanting quality to it. The handle is engraved with a design resembling thorned vines that wrap around it. Eve catches her own reflection in the blade.

She imagines the gorgeous knife dripping with blood, running down the handle and onto her own arm. 

"Do vampires bleed?" She asks distantly, running a light finger over the edge of the blade.

 She sees Carolyn giving her a look with an emotion Eve can only describe as amused bewilderment. 

"Yes, they do. Though, its more of a burgundy color and far less...runny."

Eve sets the knife gently back into its case and hums. 

"I'll see you tomorrow in the office. We have a lot of work to do," Carolyn says, getting up. Eve takes this as her cue to leave.

"Thanks for the knife," Eve says, clutching the leather case close to her side.

"You'll have more use for it than I do," Carolyn says.

Eve nods slowly, giving one last quick smile at Carolyn before making her way to the front door.

 

 

Eve awakes to the sound of ringing. It takes her a second to realize it is the phone. She looks to her left where Niko sleeps peacefully, unbothered. She rubs her eyes and stumbles her way out of bed. The house is dark and lifeless beside the shrill ring of the telephone. How Niko sleeps through such things she'll never know.

She makes it just in time to answer, holding it up to her ear.

"Hello?" Eve croaks, voice plagued with sleep.

_"Hello, Eve. Good morning."_

Eve squints at the clock on her wall. _Three AM?_

"Barely," Eve mutters under her breath. "What can I do for you, Carolyn? Is it about the suitcase? I thought I was going to see you at the office later today?"

_"This couldn't wait I'm afraid. It is about our mole and the drive Mr. Jin Yeong gave you in Berlin. I figured you'd want to know as soon as possible."_

Eve sighs, leaning her back against the kitchen counter. 

"What about it?"

_"Kenny was able to trace it back to Frank."_

Eve suddenly felt much more awake. She always knew he was dodgy.  _That arsehole._

"We have to bring the bastard in for questioning," Eve says, grogginess fully replaced with fervor. 

_"We aren't after blood, Eve. We're after information. Frank is middle-management, chance is he will lead us to someone far more important. We'll interview him once he is in our custody."_

"I'll bring him in. I'll go get him from his house and take him to a secure location of your choosing. I'll do it."

Eve bites her lip as she waits for a response. She hears Carolyn sigh and mumble something to herself.

_"Do what you must. But please be professional. I'll text you the location of the safe house."_

 

Niko is not pleased when she wakes him to say she has to go to work at three in the morning. She can tell that his patience with her is wearing thin. The only thing that is standing between them and an argument is the fact that Eve is never home to have it. 

As a last minute decision, she takes the knife Carolyn gave her. She grabs it out of its leather case and shoves it into one of her deep coat pockets. She feels safer with it on her.

She grabs a black coffee on the way. It's going to be a long drive from Frank's house to the safe location. Eve isn't the fondest of driving. The act itself is less the problem than her frustration with other drivers. Niko doesn't drive with her. Apparently, her road rage scares him. 

Much to her relief, the traffic is light.

She pulls over in a car park near Frank's house a bit later. She starts sweating as she walks. She shrugs off her jacket and carries it in her arms. Eve doesn't know if she's sweating because she's hot or because she's so, so angry at Frank. She rehearses what she is going to say as she makes her way over. The speech mostly consists of her calling him a dickswab and demanding that he tell her everything. 

It dawns on her that she probably should have brought back up or something of the like. What if he refuses to come with her? It's not like she can overpower him and drag him to her car. She hopes she can convince him with her words, though she's never been the best at that.

Once she reaches Frank's front porch, she notices something alarming. The door is ajar. Has he been robbed? Or worse?

She gulps and ways her options. She could just leave and come back later at a more decent time, this time with backup. Assuming he'll still be alive in there if he isn't dead already.

She curses under her breath and pushes it open slowly. 

"Frank?" She whispers, poking her head into the dark house. She can't see shit.  _Christ._

She takes a few small steps inside, reaching for the light switch with a blind hand. Her fingers finally graze it and she flips the switch quickly. The bulb above flickers once, twice, before becoming fully bright and illuminating the room. The space feels cramped and stuffy. An ugly bright orange couch rests snuggly against the wall to Eve's right. The TV is small and sits precariously on the corner of the coffee table. His house is a disaster. Clothes and old wrappers litter the carpet. She places her jacket down on the table.

There isn't a soul in sight, burglar or otherwise. 

"Frank?" She calls more bravely this time. 

She can hear footsteps coming closer from the hall to her left. She turns to it and steps back, hoping that she isn't about to be murdered.  

Frank appears in the threshold of the hallway, holding glasses in one hand and a burrito in the other. Eve rolls her eyes, relaxing her shoulders.

"What the hell are you doing in my home?" He shouts suddenly, putting on his glasses with haste.

Eve scoffs, rubbing her forehead.

"Your door was open I thought you might be in trouble."

"Well, I'm fine. Must have forgotten to lock the door. The wind has been crazy these days. Why are you here?"

"Maybe because you're a traitor and I'm taking you into custody," She's impressed with the amount of iron in her own voice. Frank shrinks in his own skin. She intensifies her glare. Thankfully, her intimidation tactic seems to be working.

"You know about..."

"Yes, we all do. You're lucky the organization you've been working for hasn't found out you've been compromised yet. If that were the case I would be taking you out in a body bag."

Frank looks as though he is about to cry as he nods. Why would this organization pay so much for a pathetic man? It makes Eve sick. She can't even stand to look at him, really.

"Let's go," Eve orders, pointing to the front door.

"Can I at least go grab some clothes" His voice sounds weak and defeated.  

"Fine, but I'm coming with you to make sure you don't run off."

 

* * *

 

Villanelle regrets picking a tiny closet of all places to hide. Her body lodges uncomfortably against the shelves behind her. It's obvious this man has filled this closet beyond its intended compacity, boxes and bags of clothes protrude from the shelves, ready to tumble to the ground. Its a miracle she can even cram her body into it. She feels a brief sense of pride for how impressively flexible she is.

She peeks through the thin slits in the closet, waiting in anticipation for whoever was coming into the house. She begins to work out how exactly she is going to kill this person.

The light is switched on.

Eve Polastri walks through the door in all of her beauty. Villanelle chokes back a gasp. She swallows hard, eyes unable to look away.

"Frank?" Eve calls, stepping hesitantly further into the home. She could listen to that voice all day. She is incapable of sleep, but she is positive that Eve's voice could lull her to rest regardless.

If there wasn't a barrier between them, they would be standing face-to-face three feet apart. The thought shoots a sense of giddiness down Villanelle's spine, where it bounces around in her gut. She rolls her eyes.  _Butterflies? Seriously?_

Eve looks alarmed at the approaching footsteps. 

She'd almost forgotten about Frank entirely. She's supposed to be killing him right now. This might be a problem, she realizes.

Frank and Eve begin to have a somewhat unpleasant exchange. 

"Maybe because you're a traitor and I'm taking you into custody."

Yes, this is what Villanelle would call a problem. She begins to think of the ways to remedy this situation.

She could just pop out and kill Frank with whatever's close, Villanelle muses. Or her own hands and mouth if it came to it. Eve might even enjoy it. She is a fan of her work, after all. What's better than seeing it up close?

Eve and Frank leave the sitting room and wander back down the hall. 

Villanelle suddenly gets a much more fun idea. A much better first reunion for her and Eve. 

She grins to herself.

 

* * *

 

Eve speeds down the highway. They still have two hours until they will arrive at the safe house. Frank sits, arms crossed in the passenger seat. It reminds her of a pouting child who got caught staying out past curfew. 'Girls just wanna have fun' is playing quietly over the radio. 

Sleepiness is starting to grip her tightly. She feels as though she hasn't slept in five years. She glances at her phone that sits in the cup holder, recording everything that they've been talking about thus far. Which, to Eve's dismay, is absolutely nothing. 

"What do you know, Frank?" She demands suddenly, her fatigue escalating her impatience. 

"I don't know anything," He shrugs calmly. He doesn't glance in her direction.

"Oh, please don't bullshit me," Eve says, stepping on the gas a little harder. "I know you know things. We're gonna find out one way or another."

He remains silent, looking out the window.

"Bill is dead because of you," She says, more quietly this time.

He looks at her then. She keeps her eyes glued to the road. For a moment he says nothing at all. 

"I think she took your department rather personally," He says simply, turning his head back in front of him.

"And how do you know it was a she?" Eve asks, looking at him briefly. It's clear he knows he just let something slip he shouldn't have.

She hears him inhale a deep breath of air.

"If I tell you what I know will I be pardoned?"

"If you tell me I _might_ mention to Carolyn that you were co-operative."

Silence falls on the car. He seems to contemplate this offer. 

"They call themselves the Twelve," He begins, sitting back in his seat. "I thought they were standard SVR, Russian intelligence, who just wanted a little inside scoop. I gave them some gossip they paid for my wife's medical treatment."

Eve doesn't pity him. Not even a little. If anything, she feels sorry for his kids for having to deal with him. 

"And what about the woman?" Eve prompts, unable to mask the interest in her voice. 

"They're very proud of her, she's their top worker. They are using her to destabilize society from the ground up. I heard whispers that she is hard to handle, though. Attention-seeking and reckless."

Eve can't control the smile that forms on her lips. 

They drive in silence for another hour or so. The stars in the night slowly begin to fade as the sky gets less dark. As soon as they arrive at the safe house Eve is going to take a nap. 

Suddenly, blue and red lights flash in her rearview mirror. She glances down at her speedometer. She's speeding but only by a little. Surely not something to be pulled over about.

"Oh, for Christ's sake," Eve mutters, pulling over to the side of the highway. 

Frank shakes his head in disapproval. She glares at him and rolls down her window before shutting off her car. Just her luck. 

The police motorcycle stops behind her. Eve hopes she can charm her way out of a ticket. If not she is going to have a lecture from Niko. She starts to get a headache at the mere thought. 

The policewoman saunters up to her car and bends down. The woman is wearing a helmet that doesn't look police grade. She's also wearing aviators despite it still being night. It's odd, to say the least, but Eve has bigger fish to fry. 

"License and registration," The officer says. Eve hands it over and the woman glances over them.

"Listen, I'm a government agent and I have an asset in my custody. I'm uh sorry for speeding?" Eve winces at her own words. She's never been good at talking.

The woman seems amused at first. Eve thinks she might have just gotten away with it.

"Will you step out of the car please?" The policewoman says backing up.

Eve scoffs and pinches the bridge of her nose. 

"I can't believe this," She mumbles, unlocking her seat belt. She steps out of the car. Traffic whizzes past them, the wind blows her hair every which way. The cold air bites at Eve's face. 

"This seems very dramatic for speeding."

She wishes she could just shove her foot in her mouth. Why had she said that? The woman raises an eyebrow.

"Please put both hands on your car," The woman orders, hands on her hips.

Eve complies begrudgingly. She can see Frank looking at her through the window. She suppresses the urge to flip him off.

Suddenly, the policewoman, grabs her wrist, locking it in a handcuff and then attaching the other end to her car door. Eve yanks at it to no avail. 

"What the hell?" Eve gasps, trying to shove her hand out the loop. Dread settles over her like a shadow. Goosebumps trail up and down her arms. She knows exactly who this woman is and she is no police officer. 

"Sorry, Eve." The Russian accent rings in her ears. Eve's heart thumps loudly in her chest. 

The woman before her smirks, taking off her helmet. Blonde hair tied into a loose bun falls out. She pushes her aviators onto the top of her head. It's like seeing a ghost. She's just as gorgeous as Eve remembers. Just as intense, too. She looks radiant in the moonlight.

Villanelle steps closer to her. Eve backs up against the car, shying away as far as she can manage.

"Villanelle," Eve's voice is hoarse.

"In the flesh," Villanelle responds moving forward. Eve feels a sense of pride. She was right, Villanelle is her name. Or a codename, at least.

"Are you going to kill me?" Eve asks, trying to sound as brave as possible. Villanelle doesn't respond as she comes much closer. She begins to search Eve's jacket. She lets her without a fight.  

Villanelle gasps as she takes out the knife. Eve winces as it is held in front of her.  

"Are you going to kill _me_?" Villanelle chuckles, examining the knife.

 _As soon as I can,_ Eve thinks.  _As soon as I get my chance._

"You can keep it. It suits you," Villanelle continues, replacing the knife back inside Eve's pocket.

"How did you know where we would be going?" 

"I put a tracker on your phone at Frank's house," She responds as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. _The ajar door. Of course._

"Did you steal all this police stuff?"

"Not entirely, the handcuffs are mine," Villanelle responds with a wink. Eve is forever grateful that it is still dark out to hide her embarrassing blush. The woman stops searching her coat and stares down at Eve. They are so close she can feel her breath on her lips. Villanelle's body ghosts over Eve's.  

"I know what you are," Eve declares quietly, looking up into hazel eyes. Those eyes could burn holes straight through her and she'd gladly let them. 

The woman before her raises an eyebrow and hums. 

"What am I, Eve?" 

The words get stuck in her throat. Eve forces them out.

"A vampire," The words come out feeble and wobbly. 

Villanelle laughs loudly then, grinning broad and bright. Eve can even see the sharp pair. She swallows hard, knees becoming unreliable.

"Clever, clever Eve," Villanelle licks her lips. She's sure she is going to die at any moment. How easy would it be for Villanelle to end her right now? How long would it take? Would someone driving by see and call the real police or would they just continue on their morning commute? Would Villanelle drink from her? 

"Are you going to kill me?" Eve asks again. 

Villanelle leans down a bit, eyes raking over her. 

"I want to have dinner with you," Villanelle says, lips pouty.

Eve laughs bitterly.

"Am I the dinner?"

"I would only eat you in the way you'd like."

Villanelle smirks. It's _not at all_ attractive. Eve convinces herself of that fact.

Something coils low in Eve's stomach. Villanelle is looking at her lips. Eve sucks in a quick breath.

"Eve?" 

Frank is standing outside the car now, staring at them with wide eyes. Eve had forgotten all about him and by the way Villanelle was looking at him, she had too.

_Frank. Shit._

"I wish I could stay and talk more but I have work to do," Villanelle laments, stepping back. 

"No, don't," Eve calls after her but is ignored. Frank is going to die and she is going to be fired again. _Great. Perfect._

She hears Frank's protests as he's dragged towards the motorcycle.

"Get on," Villanelle's voice is now colder than ice.  

Frank whimpers and complies, Villanelle slides on in front of him, helmet placed back on her head. She starts up the engine and drives slowly past Eve.

"See you soon," Villanelle says with a small smile before driving off and rejoining highway traffic, leaving Eve alone on the side of the highway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading :D! 
> 
> If you've read the second book in the Villanelle series, you know where I got the inspiration for a part of this chapter. If you haven't read it I highly recommend it.
> 
> Leave a comment and I will be your best pal for life!


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